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Bodies - The Exhibition

The White Coyote

Posted 06 November 2006 - 07:05 AM

The White Coyote

Advanced Member

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3,363 posts

LocationThe Great Northwest

I'm going over to see the "Bodies" exhibit today. If you haven't heard the exhibition consists of actual human bodies that have been "plastisized" and cut and formed into different poses and sections. There has been a lot of controversy and a couple attempts to shut it down so I want to get there before the prudes get their way.

What are your thoughts on this type of exhibition? Do you think it is morally wrong to show this type of thing? The corpses, I understand, are those of unclaimed street people from china who have died of natural causes or disease. I will let you know what I think when I get back. Until then I am keeping an open mind.

Ungodly

Posted 06 November 2006 - 08:43 AM

Ungodly

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20,614 posts

LocationInland Empire, California

I'm not sure that there would be any moral issue involved. The persons who are now deceased obviously are not harmed by anything that is done to their bodies. So I don't see this as an issue of morality.

Now there may be an issue of taste involved. It seems obvious that many people are going to have an intensely negative gut reaction, they will find this idea repulsive. I think this kind of a reaction should not be confused with any moral issue.

Many people, in fact a majority of people, are not homosexual. For some people that are not homosexual the very idea of homosexual sexual activity is repulsive. This, I submit, is the same kind of a gut reaction and, as with the case of this exhibit, should not be confused with a moral issue.

Persons who do not wish to see carved up human bodies should be free to avoid this exhibit. And persons who do not wish to engage in homosexual sexual activity should be free to refrain from that activity.

People should learn to distinguish between things that make them feel icky and things that are legitimate issues of morality. Where no harm is done, morality does not need to be a concern.

Personally, I find the idea of this display a bit discomforting, but suppose I could suck it up and go if a group i was in wanted to see it.

Abandoned_Mind

Posted 06 November 2006 - 02:56 PM

Seti

Posted 06 November 2006 - 03:29 PM

Seti

Advanced Member

Members

122 posts

Is that the Gunther von Hagens guy? He did a TV programme here a while back which was absolutely fascinating and informative - it was about ageing. The bodies were "willed" to him by people who supported his work. Not sure if this is by the same guy - there's been some controversy over this exhibition as it's been suggested that some of the bodies are of executed prisoners. I'd be a bit concerned about that, as I think everyone should be entitled to say what should happen to their left-overs when they die - and if they were prisoners they probably had no say. Also, there would be a concern that the bodies may have been sold.

The White Coyote

Posted 06 November 2006 - 05:08 PM

The White Coyote

Advanced Member

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3,363 posts

LocationThe Great Northwest

Just got back and I was impressed to say the least. Many of the bodies were posed in ways that suggested a sports activity. Throwing a baseball, shooting a basket etc. in order to highlight the particular area, muscular, skeletal etc. of that particular area of the exhibit. I learned a lot and have a new respect of why when the doctor asks "Where does it hurt?" GOOD JESUS CRISTO THERE'S A LOT OF SHIT INSIDE OF US! There was one display of the arterys and veins where they pumped plastic resin into the vein and artery then waited for it to harden, then used a chemical to remove all the organic tissue. It made a spiderweb look like a childs sculpture. Even the tinyest veins were exposed. So small they kept the exhibit in fluid to keep vibration to a minimum. Having a bad back, I was particularly interested in the spinal area and saw exactly what was wrong with my back. Also they had a knee joint sliced a dozen different ways and assembled back together with about a 1/2 inch space throughout. It looked like one of those old exploded view drawings we've all seen.

The bodies aquired were all chinese folks who had not been claimed by any family and had been kept "On ice" for a required amount of time. There were a couple of stillborn fetuses that had been donated (?) by their parents for the exhibit. It is an amazing exhibit and they do an excellent job of slipping you into it slowly, starting with some skulls and bones, then working you into organs then body parts then into the full cadavers. There is an "escape door" for anyone wanting to skip the fetus and embryo section which I must admit made me a little sad. My wife the neo natal nurse thought that it was really well done and the displays were absolutely done with education and respect.

I guess the question of morals is one that can't be answered. It would be the same as going against someones wishes to be buried, rather than cremated. These folks had no choice or say in their last request, so I guess we can never know. I wouldn't mind having this done to me. Actually to be "Imortalized" in this fashion would be kinda cool, (but only if they let me pick the pose )